The first in a series of seasonal open tournaments hosted by the Otago Chess Club took place on Saturday 3rd March. The Autumn Rapid attracted sixteen players, with with a pleasing 75% of the field comprised of young players taking on the grizzled veterans.
Top seed Robert Wansink comfirmed his ranking with 5/5 to take first place, followed by second seed John Sutherland and promising junior Tom Mottershead (16) sharing second on 4 points. The under 1400 grade was won by Naser Tamimi (13) on 3 points ahead of Logan Xu (13) , Ben Clayton (12) and Charlie Li (11) sharing second place on 2½. Leighton Nicholls (14) won the upset prize.
Todays' game features UK-based New Zealander, FM Nicholas Croad, as Black against IM Jack Rudd en route to winning the Brighton Masters and achieving his second International Master norm.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 ---
This aggressive bishop placement marks the Fischer-Sozin Attack against the Sicilian Defence. White plans to castle queenside and launch an attack on the black king. 6.--- e6 7.Be3 Bd7
Black responds by delaying his kingside development in favour of quickly bringing his rook to the c-file. 8.Qe2 Rc8 9.O-O-O a6 10.Bb3 Na5 11.f3 b5 12.Kb1 Rxc3!?
The thematic exchange sacrifice in the Sicilian. Black doesn't seem to derive any immediate benefit from his material investment, but the structural weaknesses induced in the white position gradually results in long term pressure. 13.bxc3 Qc7 14.Rhe1?! ---
This centralising move seems out of place. White's chances still lie on the kingside, and he should have prepared to open files there for his rooks with 14 g4. 14.--- g6!
Now the rook has moved from the h-file, Black doesn't fear the h2-h4-h5 pawn push, as bringing the rook back to h1 loses two tempi. Black claims the long dark diagonal for his bishop and proceeds to complete his development, incidentally threatening 15...e5 trapping the knight. Capturing on c3 would be unwise without his kingside pieces in the game. 15.Qf2 Bg7 16.Rd3?! ---
Pursuing the illusory weak pawn on d6. White would still be better to advance his kingside pawns. 16.--- Nc4 17.Bc1 O-O 18.Red1 Rb8 19.Ne2 a5!
The threat of 20...a4 forces another weakening pawn move. 20.a3 Be8!
Making way for the f6 knight to join the attack and unleashing the bishop on g7. White responds by immediately offering to exchange a rook for the monster bishop. 21.Rd4!? Nd7 22.Qg3 Bf8!?
After 22...Bxd4 23 cxd4 White's pawns are improved and he might generate significant counter threats on the dark squares around the Black kingside in the absence of their defender. So Black instead targets the weak a-pawn. White finally pushes his h-pawn, but it is too late. 23.h4 Qc5 24.h5 Nxa3+ 25.Bxa3 Qxa3 26.hxg6 hxg6 27.Rxd6! ---
The best chance, as 27 Rh1 b4! 28 Qh2 Bg7 defends the h-file and 29 Qxd6 a4 wins the bishop with a continuing attack. 27.--- Bxd6 28.Rxd6 ---
The queen exchange 28 Qxd6 Qxd6 29 Rxd6 a4 30 Ba2 Kf8 leaves a bleak ending for White despite the level material. 28.--- Nc5 29.Rd1 Nxb3 30.cxb3 Qxb3+ 31.Kc1 Rc8 32.Qe5? ---
Allowing Black's attack to break through. 32 Qh4! keeping a eye on the h-file would have stayed in the game: 32...Qa2? meets 33 Rh1 and the rook and queen will force perpetual check, while after 32... Qa3+ 33 Kb1 Qf8 to defend the kingside leaves plenty of work to do before Black realises his extra pawn. 32.--- Qa2! White resigns
With 33 Rh1 ruled out because of 33...Qa1+, White is defenceless against the adavnce of the b-pawn. E.g. 33 Rg1 b4 34 Kd1 b3 35 Ke1 b2 36 Kf2 b1=Q etc. or 33 Rd2 Qa1+ 34 Kc2 b4 35 Rd6 b3+! winning (36 Kxb3 Ba4 mate or Kd2 b2 etc.).
Wansink confirms ranking
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.
The first in a series of seasonal open tournaments hosted by the Otago Chess Club took place on Saturday 3rd March. The Autumn Rapid attracted sixteen players, with with a pleasing 75% of the field comprised of young players taking on the grizzled veterans.
Top seed Robert Wansink comfirmed his ranking with 5/5 to take first place, followed by second seed John Sutherland and promising junior Tom Mottershead (16) sharing second on 4 points. The under 1400 grade was won by Naser Tamimi (13) on 3 points ahead of Logan Xu (13) , Ben Clayton (12) and Charlie Li (11) sharing second place on 2½. Leighton Nicholls (14) won the upset prize.
Todays' game features UK-based New Zealander, FM Nicholas Croad, as Black against IM Jack Rudd en route to winning the Brighton Masters and achieving his second International Master norm.
1.e4 c5
2.Nf3 d6
3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 Nc6
6.Bc4 ---
This aggressive bishop placement marks the Fischer-Sozin Attack against the Sicilian Defence. White plans to castle queenside and launch an attack on the black king.
6.--- e6
7.Be3 Bd7
Black responds by delaying his kingside development in favour of quickly bringing his rook to the c-file.
8.Qe2 Rc8
9.O-O-O a6
10.Bb3 Na5
11.f3 b5
12.Kb1 Rxc3!?
The thematic exchange sacrifice in the Sicilian. Black doesn't seem to derive any immediate benefit from his material investment, but the structural weaknesses induced in the white position gradually results in long term pressure.
13.bxc3 Qc7
14.Rhe1?! ---
This centralising move seems out of place. White's chances still lie on the kingside, and he should have prepared to open files there for his rooks with 14 g4.
14.--- g6!
Now the rook has moved from the h-file, Black doesn't fear the h2-h4-h5 pawn push, as bringing the rook back to h1 loses two tempi. Black claims the long dark diagonal for his bishop and proceeds to complete his development, incidentally threatening 15...e5 trapping the knight. Capturing on c3 would be unwise without his kingside pieces in the game.
15.Qf2 Bg7
16.Rd3?! ---
Pursuing the illusory weak pawn on d6. White would still be better to advance his kingside pawns.
16.--- Nc4
17.Bc1 O-O
18.Red1 Rb8
19.Ne2 a5!
The threat of 20...a4 forces another weakening pawn move.
20.a3 Be8!
Making way for the f6 knight to join the attack and unleashing the bishop on g7. White responds by immediately offering to exchange a rook for the monster bishop.
21.Rd4!? Nd7
22.Qg3 Bf8!?
After 22...Bxd4 23 cxd4 White's pawns are improved and he might generate significant counter threats on the dark squares around the Black kingside in the absence of their defender. So Black instead targets the weak a-pawn. White finally pushes his h-pawn, but it is too late.
23.h4 Qc5
24.h5 Nxa3+
25.Bxa3 Qxa3
26.hxg6 hxg6
27.Rxd6! ---
The best chance, as 27 Rh1 b4! 28 Qh2 Bg7 defends the h-file and 29 Qxd6 a4 wins the bishop with a continuing attack.
27.--- Bxd6
28.Rxd6 ---
The queen exchange 28 Qxd6 Qxd6 29 Rxd6 a4 30 Ba2 Kf8 leaves a bleak ending for White despite the level material.
28.--- Nc5
29.Rd1 Nxb3
30.cxb3 Qxb3+
31.Kc1 Rc8
32.Qe5? ---
Allowing Black's attack to break through. 32 Qh4! keeping a eye on the h-file would have stayed in the game: 32...Qa2? meets 33 Rh1 and the rook and queen will force perpetual check, while after 32... Qa3+ 33 Kb1 Qf8 to defend the kingside leaves plenty of work to do before Black realises his extra pawn.
32.--- Qa2!
White resigns
With 33 Rh1 ruled out because of 33...Qa1+, White is defenceless against the adavnce of the b-pawn. E.g. 33 Rg1 b4 34 Kd1 b3 35 Ke1 b2 36 Kf2 b1=Q etc. or 33 Rd2 Qa1+ 34 Kc2 b4 35 Rd6 b3+! winning (36 Kxb3 Ba4 mate or Kd2 b2 etc.).
0-1
Solution: 1 Nc6+! Bxc6 (1... Rxc6 2 Qb8#, 1...Ka8 2 Rb8#) 2 Qd4+ Qc5 3 Qc5+ Ka8 4 Rb8#.